Scarlet POV
Coming back from my friend's wedding preparations, I wanted to surprise Aiden. At the busy airport, I enjoyed the view of the city. In the taxi, I felt the city's lively atmosphere.
My heart raced when I arrived at the hotel. In the elevator, I felt more excited with each floor. But at Aiden's room, I heard his voice and a familiar woman's voice, making me pause and feel worried
Curiousity and confusion washed over me as I opened the door, only to be met with a devastating sight
There, in the center of the room, were Aiden and Evelyn, my stepsister, entangled in an intimate embrace.
The scene felt like a nightmare as I watched them, my eyes welling up with tears
"Come on, baby...yes, baby, oh...I'm about to come..."
Aiden whispered breathlessly with Evelyn perched on top of him.
My voice caught in my throat, a whirlwind of betrayal consuming me
I couldn't believe my eyes
"Aiden!" I finally screamed, my voice shaking with hurt and fury.
Aiden jolted to his feet, shock written all over his face. I knew he never expected me here standing in the doorway.
"Scarlet, you're here...."
He stammered, Scrambling to cover himself as he stood up.
"It's not what you think, Scarlet! I—let me explain!"
He rushed towards me, his hands outstretched in desperation.
I couldn't bear to look at him, my heart shattering into a million pieces.
"Save your pathetic excuses!" I growled, slapping him.
"And you," I said, returning my gaze to Evelyn.
"You're nothing but a conniving, selfish liar!"
Truly, I had never imagined her to stoop so low. Although I knew she was never honest from the beginning.
It was clear to me that my words did not affect her as she gave a grin, which just spurred my anger.
"I suppose the better woman won," she responded, a note of pleasure in her voice.
Her words were like a hammer that hit me, and tears streamed from my eyes, but I did not let them fall. I would never let her be the one to see me broken.
"I hate you! Aiden." I spat before turning on my heels and storming out of the room.
I hastily headed for the elevator, my vision blurred by tears.
I hit the button for the ground floor, where the hotel bar was located. As I stumbled into the dimly lit space , I made my way to the bartender
I sat down, making an effort to avoid the curious glances of the other patrons.
"Whiskey," I croaked, my throat tight with emotion. The bartender nodded, giving in to my need.
He poured me a generous amount of the amber liquid, which I promptly consumed in a single motion.
The burning sensation in my throat was so intense that it felt as though I was experiencing a surge of exhilaration, relishing the moment despite the discomfort.
"Another," I demand
The unflinching eyes of the men around seemed to be quivering at me.
However, it was the least of my matters
It looks like my whole life has been falling apart virtually right before my eyes.
I had dreamed of weaving a happy life with him, never wanted this from him..
I felt pain and rage transform into a reckless yearning to numb the ache in my chest.
Another glass appeared beside me, and the bartender began to pour.
I quickly downed the drink, wincing at the initial burn. Soon, my head started spinning—I wasn't used to drinking and rarely got drunk, but what else could I do?
"I just hate him!" I whispered, but the bartender's stare made it clear that my words hadn't been as quiet as I'd intended.
"Get me another." I requested, but he just kept glaring at me.
"You sure, mam?" he asked.
His he the one who is going to decide things for me? Almost like he got it in a flash, as he brought another bottle
I downed it also, as I felt my grip, barely hanging onto the alcohol bottle, my heart heavy in sorrows
I stood up from the counter and signalled the bartender, tipping him off after deciding to leave.
The dim light shone in the background while I hang on to myself, proceeding into the night in a smooth sway to avoid being the object of the possibility of the patrons.
The gentle blow of the cool breeze did not either settle the chaos erupting in me, and hence, I made the turn curving the sidewalk.
My tears, the most wanted, had so blurred my scene that I almost missed the sidewalk, stumbling while walking down.
My mind clouded with the cruel hand, fate had dealt with me
I went with the flow in my turbulent thoughts, and my body quivered, hold of alcohol exerting the physique part as I lean on the wall that was cold and try to balance on both the physical and emotional side.
How could I have been so blind to his deception? I had trusted Aiden with all my heart, only to be betrayed by him.
The love that was poured into our relationship from the bottom of my heart about trusting Aiden was reciprocal betrayal from him.
The memories from our past, which we both shared, the laughter, the promises, the dreams seem to be like pieces of glass in my soul.
It was an open secret that Evelyn was interested in him all along. Anything I seemed to admire, she wished to snatch.
Should I set my sights on anything, she would like to get it.
Even snatching my parents' love from me.
After the whole abduction stuff occurred when I was 6, I never lost hope that one soulful day I would reunite with my parents...
Leaving me alone, growing up without them.
Though I was happy to finally reunite with them, they just weren't the same people I knew 18 years ago.
Evelyn seemed to be the apple of their eyes, and I just disgraced them.
Dad always pointed out my wrongs, with his eyes seeing nothing else... Or my mom, who always wasted no time comparing me with my sister, Evelyn...
Besides, it looks like she has taken the measure again by taking something dear to me.
Unbelievable—And to think we were planning to get engaged in weeks, and now he is with her.
Overcoming my anguish, I pushed away from the wall, betrayal's bitterness engulfing my heart as I took unsteady steps.
I walked down the quiet street, my loneliness reflecting my broken spirit.
Almost like a ghost, I wandered through the deserted road, mirroring my tormented soul.
Lost in thought, I found myself on the roadside. Suddenly, a passing car's headlights blinded me, mere inches away.
.. ........
A man, his face shrouded in shadows, stepped out and approached me with a sense of urgency. His voice low and cautiousI could notice he was asking some questions, but I could barely comprehend, in my current state, intoxicated and in despairBefore I could fully grasp the situation, he whisked me away in a flash as I ended up in his car.I could barely do anything to resistI hardly got myself. All I could see were flashes followed by an intoxicating spinThe next thing I noticed was suddenly being whisked to his opulent mansionThe world passed by in a blur of neon lights and distorted shapes , my mind struggling to process the surreal turn of eventsUpon the arrival, the man led me through the lavish halls. My unfocused gaze taking in the grandeur of the surroundingsI siezed to resist, but damn. Why did I have to drink so muchMy gaze flickered as he led me to a room where he laid me on the plush bed, his touch gentle yet firmHis presence was both enigmatic and alluring, his eyes
Her words stung my heart as it skipped a beat. My legs lingered, but this was it. I shouldn't waste any more time.I entered the room, scanning the seated interviewers. Their gazes fixed on me as I walked in. I let out a slow sigh."My name is..." I was sayingBut my words were slashed by a woman raising her hand.She stood up from her desk, approaching me as I tried to smile. I couldn't grasp what was happening."I'm sorry, but you arrived late. The interview is over. Perhaps next time, you'll learn to be punctual."Her simple words pierced me like thorns, my dreams sinking as our eyes met.How could this happen? I worked so hard for this job. So close, only to have it end.Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall."Please, ma'am... I promise this was a mistake. Something came up... please..." My plea fell on deaf ears."Kensington Global Innovation is a famous company worth billions. Candidates like you seek employment here. Knowing the competitive environment, I w
Sebastian POVI was driving when I spotted a lady on the street, who was drunk and walked unsteadily. Being a gentleman, I had to approach her.I tried to communicate by asking her some questions, but because of the effects of alcohol on her, it was obvious that she could not understand me.She did not show many signs of being in a bad condition. Quite the contrary, she was quite sexy.I could not help but check her out from head to toe."Hey, you wanna come home with me?I asked, to which she just landed her head on my shoulder, intoxicated.I could not resist being flattered by the seductiveness of her flawless-looking skin, which emitted a subtle attraction.Thus, I got to bring her to my car and start my journey. All the time, she was muttering"I hate him! I hate them all."I was completely clueless as to who she actually meant, and I really didn't care, either. Maybe she was struck by the loss of love.It is a funny thing that people still fall in love in this century.In my opi
As the evening approached, I was worn out from the day's exhausting meetings.Those people were arguing and standing side by side, which was frustrating and tiresome.I made a mental note to address the situation later, as I needed time to regroup and recharge.In my tired and angry state, I felt stressed. Suddenly, my gave a phone buzz, causing my gaze to drop slowly.It was Rafe Montoya.I had been expecting feedback from him for a while now.I grabbed my phone, answering the call. "So what's the update?". "I've gathered information on her, boss," he began."Who is she?" I asked, my curiosity piqued."Her name is Scarlet Everston. She had an interview at Kensington Global Innovation today. I know you had your eyes on that company, so I thought this might be important."Intrigued, I leaned forward. "How did you find all this out?". "I have my methods. I'm good at what I do, boss. I even managed to get her phone number. She lives with her parents, and I have all the details of her e
Scarlet POV stood, my gaze fixed on him as he drove off in his car. My mind fell into silence. This was surely my chance, but he was a complete stranger. One part of me dared to confront him for stalking me and thinking he had a chance with me, all because of a one-night stand that I hated myself for having. The other part saw this as an opportunity to accomplish my dreams and attain what I couldn't. I wanted revenge for Aiden's betrayal. Our engagement was just weeks away, and now he was hooking up with my stepsister. I hated him. This was my chance, but why had he come here all of a sudden after proving not to care last night? And now he was offering me a marriage contract? I wanted more answers, but getting them wouldn't be easy. First, I needed to know his name and everything about him. "The Knightbridge Global Enterprises?" I whispered to myself. I hurriedly left the café and returned home, my legs swiftly carrying me to my room. With a quick lock of the door
Sebastian POVMy gaze caught her going through the letter...I approached her, snatching the letter from her grip.I could sense she was stunned.She seemed the curious type, but this was a close call; I wouldn't want her to find out about my underground dealings.The packages were arriving today, and Nikolai Petrov had informed me.I had to be present to ensure safe transport.Those men may prove greedy and cheat, but surely, they won't take the risk of messing with me.I sat on the chair, my gaze fixed on her."So, have you signed the contract?" I asked.Her stammering was enough to show she hadn't yet."I haven't signed it. I—I need a pe
"Wait..." Nikolai uttered, silencing my footsteps.What does he want this time? I hope he's not planning on doing anything foolish now, is he?If he thinks he can outsmart me, it would surely be a mistake on his part.I turned my gaze to him. "What, Nikolai?" I asked."As I said, the goods were delivered safely thanks to me, but there were some errors that almost occurred. Don't worry, I took care of it already.""What errors?""Why don't you follow me, Mr. Hawthorne? I will show you."A second thought I would think of was that, but what could be the sudden issue?I nodded, following Nikolai, ready for any sudden change from him, for I trusted him not, and if I were to trust either, it wouldn't be a mafia lord like him.A man who also understands tactics and logic, just like me.
Scarlet POVAfter I had left his office, his driver dropped me off at my house, claiming it was his boss's order. Weird, but alright.I got out of the vehicle, my legs slowly approaching the door with a creak. I opened it slowly. My gaze caught sight of Mom, Dad, and Evelyn seated, just like they were expecting my arrival. I chose to ignore them, walking up to my room, only to be drawn back by his call."I have some announcements to make, Scarlet..." My Dad said.What else does he want to say this time, and why wait for my arrival to do so? Curious, I approached him, my eyes fixed as I sat on the couch."I have come to a conclusion about who should attain ownership of the restaurant..." he said.My Dad owned a popular restaurant. He and Mom had managed to take care of it. Back when I was young, Mom always told me I would be the next to take it to great heights. I guess the time was finally here.Though I wanted to work at the Kensington Global Innovation as the Chief Technology Officer